Is China Planning To Invade Taiwan?

As Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine intensifies, many analysts are predicting that China is looking to invade Taiwan next.

Military tensions between the two countries were heating up long before Putin's war began as senior Chinese officials have continuously claimed that Taiwan is a part of mainland China and not an independent country. Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe told U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on a phone call Wednesday that Taiwan is "a part of China and no one can change that," hinting at a damaged relationship between the two superpowers "if the Taiwan issue were not handled properly." 

Voices on both sides of the political spectrum supported the idea that China is looking to invade Taiwan. AP Politics (Lean Left bias) accentuated analysts who believe Chinese President Xi Jinping is "focused on learning" from Putin's ongoing invasion. One opinion expressed in The Epoch Times (Lean Right bias) emphasized how Western media has "largely unacknowledged" that Jinping is rapidly building up his naval warfare branch that will aid his "expansionist foreign policy that includes asserting control over Taiwan and, likely, other Pacific islands and nations." 

Contrary to the majority opinion seen across U.S. media outlets, The South China Morning Post (Center bias) argued that "China’s global image problem, the need for external stability and a stated goal of peaceful reunification" are three key reasons why Beijing won't forcibly reunite with Taiwan "anytime soon."